Esxence - the scent of excellence, event that attracts sector operators and people passionate about artistic perfumery, will head to Milan the next weekend for its third edition that will see unfortunately big absents but also new names and off-show events about which I will tell you soon.
For the occasion on March 28 Milano Milano, new yet already enstablished online heading about leisure, culture and life in Milan has published a nice talk I had the pleasure to make with them about artistic perfumes and the connection the event has with the city.
Here's the article.

Francis Kurkdjian is famous for being an enfant prodige of perfumery because of his groundbreaking first creation Jean-Paul GaultierLe Malethat he did when he was only twentifive. Since there the list of successful creations is long and includes many designers and brands, including also his own brand Maison Francis Kurkdjian that'a already a must have for many perfume lovers. What strikes me about him are his lively dark eyes together with the free and easy attitude of someone that has nothing to prove. If you wouldn't know he's a successful perfumer with a prolific curriculum behind, you could tell there's a teenager in front of you. Maybe it's just this spirit that pushes him beyond, even while he's talking to go ahead with his mind looking for spurs to feed his brilliant mind. Thanks again to Francis Kurkdjian for his time and attention and finally also to the Di Liello family that made possible this interview in their very refined new Campomarzio 70 space at via Vittoria in Rome.

22 marzo 2011

Kilian Hennessy, for the first time in Italy to speak about his fragrances By Kilian in the new roman Campomarzio 70 store, waits me in a quite corner to sit for a smoking cup of coffee and to satisfy my curiosity.

What comes up immediately to the eyes is his class, the real one, the one of people that gets your attention showing a natural grace even in the most banal move of drinking a coffee. Kilian, delicate features almost like a second Dorian Gray, exudes charme and also the naturalness that makes people comfortable, speaking with calm voice and direct look of who takes life with passion.

Talking to him I understand it's just passion that driven him not to live in the shadow of his family name. So he's been curious about smell since his teenage and made significant experiences in communication for the perfume industry later. Moreover he dug deeper into the olfactory know-how and translated finally his way to live this passion into his frances line L'oeuvre noire featuring a stunning black eco-compatible packaging (bottles can be refilled) to which he recently added the Arabian Nights ouds collection.

The first news I want to share from all the ones I've smelled in Rome at the Campomarzio 70 event is a fragrance I've followed step by step excited during its creation. Yes, because Andy Tauer is like his last creature, sunny, spontaneous and in his blog he loves to share with his readers his thoughts while he composes something.
I'm speaking about Zeta (like the greek letter), a linden blossom theme that's also the first one of a new like for Tauer Perfumes, the "Collectibles" means low volume perfumery, limited by the availability of raw materials that may change from year to year.
This, confesses Andy allows him to create and present perfumes that he otherwise could not, simply because he cannot guarantee that he'll always be able to make them. The collectibles will be housed in the classic pentagonal 50ml bottle but in green glass with a silver label. It's particular also the choice of a single letter to name the fragrance characterized not by a pyramid but by an haiku, essence worthy of such olfactory poem.

In the shy sun of friday afternoon Campomarzio 70 opened with great style and euphoria the new space in via Vittoria, close to piazza di Spagna. As explained later by Mr. Di Liello, via Vittoria aims to be above all a place where the perfume is put at the center to speak to us again and be a cultural experience to smell even before to buy, where held events, conferences and tastings about perfume and olfactory, also coupled with other sensorial experiences like taste for example. The long list of the future events to be held in this place, started yesterday with Maria Grazia Fornasier from Mouillettes&Co that did a lesson about "Fragrances and personality".

The space, furnished with the great elegance of contrasting chiaroscuro and simple lines, is framed by satin-metal details to give maximum light to the fregrances, shown in roomy shelves where every line finds the right location to express also aesthetically its best.

Di Liello family has been glad to guest Nyclas Lydeen/Agonist, Christophe Cervasel/Atelier Cologne, Kilian Hennessy/By Kilian, Emilie Bouge/Brecourt, Julien Provoust/Cire Trudon, Olivier Durbano, Tammy Frazer/Frazer Perfumes, Simon Brooke/Grossmith, Francis Kurkdjian/Maison Francis Kurkdjian, Claude Marchal/MDCI, Clara Molloy/Memo, Mona di Orio, Alessandro Gualtieri/Nasomatto, Jan Ewoud Vos/Puredistance, Andy Tauer/Tauer Perfumes, Vero Kern/vero.profumo, Sergio Momo/Xerjoff, Yosh Han/Yosh, all represented with their lines at Campomarzio 70. I had also the chance to speak with many of them to discover curious details and old and new creations of their lines that I will tell you very soon. Some anticiparions? The new shining "Collectible" by Andy Tauer and the secont part of "Les Nombres d'Or" by Mona di Orio and again some other surprises.

Finally it's been also the occasion to have a glass of champagne enjoying the company of many friends like the precious Lady in Black with her support, Francesca Faruolo of the bolognese Smell Felstival, Massimo Nobile of Nobile 1942, Maria Grazia Fornasier of Mouillettes&Co. and the dear Marika Vecchiattini of Bergamotto e Benzoino.

There are perfumes that just sprayed immediately denote a chic aura reminescent of the great french tradition, to that particular period between the two world wars where feminine fragrances become more audacious reflecting the new social role of the post-war women and starting the trend for all the renowned "Boispour femme".Panache, Yann Vasnier and Parfums DelRae artistic director DelRae Roth'slast creation is the contemporary echo of the golden age of parisian perfumery, echo of the age where the gentlest flowers joined to the independent and strong spirit of woods and bitter notes in an incomparably alluring mix.
The fragrance takes its name from "mon panache" (my panache), the last words pronounced by Edmond Rostand's Cyrano de Bergerac, character to which formally it is inspired. Actually this juice shows to have fully caught sensations and olfactory impressions that DelRae, an amazing californian lady passionate about perfumes, remembers from her parisian forays in the Jardin du Luxembourg area close to Place de Rostand. In particular haitian vetyver, real main theme of this fragrance and also one of DelRae's favourit notes, remembers in softness and mineral saltyness the great school of french vetivers from the past but set in a classical beauty and modern spirit context.